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Hi,
I have read the 'sticky post' Info for therapists, family etc.
I am looking to start CBT but don't really understand it.
First of all, I'm finding it hard to understand how just talking about the problem solves it. This is'nt of much concern though as I'm sure there is much more to it!
My main question is about the hierachy of fears. I'm a studentand cannot afford much treatment, obviously though I want to be helped as quickly and as soon as possible.
The above article, (which should be comended) talks about drawing stick people being s# or writing the word V# as a starting point on the hirerachy of fears.
What if this seems way to 'unfearful' to me? I could do any of these things without any problem at all, I think I could also hear andwatchpeople V# without to much discomfort.
But how does this have anything to do with me V#, that is the only thing that terrifies me. I'm torn between trying to do things as thoroughly as possible to ensure results and doing things as quickly and cheaply as possible.
Thanks
Jamie
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Hi Jamie,
I'm the author of the article on the sticky post, and I'm happy to address your questions. First of all, good therapy should not be "just talking about it". It should be a systematic desensitization to the stimulus feared (vomit!), as well as a re-structuring of the cognitive part of your brain so that the thought of vomiting does not trigger the anxiety-response centre in your brain. This is hard work, and the work is done by the client - it is simply guided by the therapist. So as you can see, this is way more than "just talking about it".
Secondly, check out the website I did with desensitization hierarchy. Eventually, if you can put yourself in the place of the people in the pictures or videos (in your mind) then you will get a fear reaction. The re-training of the "wires" of the brain will help to end your phobia. You don't need to vomit yourself to do that.
Good luck!
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Thanks Sage,
What website is that though? Is it the first one contained in the article, if so the link doesn't seem to work for me!
Jamie
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hmmm - very strange. This is indeed the website address, and the link works perfectly on my end:
www.emetophobia.bravehost.com
try typing it into your address line, perhaps.
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Thanks Sage I've managed to open it! Sorry to keep going on about this but....
I've read all of the posts on the first page of 'Treatments Forum' about exposure therapy and Desensitization.
You mention going beyond the 42 steps by watching graphic vomiting scenes in various movies and on websites.
As I mentioned above, these do not make me very anxious or nauseated, I can only recall a couple of times where I've looked away.I have seen most of the scenes that you talk about andI would give the most graphic ones an SUD score of 1-2 when I've read that some people can't get past level 19 etc... what does this mean for me?
I'm not anxious about it because I don't think that seeing someone else sick will make me sick. I think the anxiety would go to more like 3-4 if it was someone being sick through genuine illness rather than self-induced (through alcohol or dare!)
I think it would be more like 5-6 if I was actuallyin the same room as someone who was contagiously sick.
Thanks Sage, I've also posted another message in the CBT Update topic. I feel at the moment like I'm imposing with all my questions, I'm new to this and don't really know anything, when I'm a bit more experienced and possibly cured I will definately give something back. As much empathy as there can be in the world, I don't think anyone can really know what its like unless they emet. We've got to stick to gether!!
ThanksEdited by: banditjamie
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hi,
these are good questions - don't worry about it. If you're looking to start CBT, then you will have to dig really deep to get help with this. That is because you've somehow convinced yourself that looking at pictures, videos, etc. isn't real or dangerous, yet vomiting is. Which makes no sense, of course - but you know this. So....I would suggest that you actually try to UP your SUD score while looking at the pictures rather than registering is as 1-2. See if you can actually make yourself more scared. Then see what it would take (internal dialogue, relaxation techniques, etc.) to bring your score back down. It is this "practicing" of the brain in getting anxious, then calming down that is the cure for phobia. Eventually, given enough work, you won't be able to get yourself afraid in a "real" situation either, cuz you'll know that you can calm yourself down.
So take a look again at a picture, imagine it's YOU in it, imagine the absolute worst (like "O my God I'm sick and I'm going to die") and see what happens. For sure, you'll want to take note of your progress when you find a therapist. In fact, I would recommend you find one first, of course - that will get you much better results.
I want to just say for the record that the reason I wasn't cured for years is cuz I was just like you - such an "intellectual". I had convinced myself that no amount of imagination would help me, and neither would fake pictures or whatever. Eventually, I was able to "conjure up" images in my own head and raise my anxiety all the way to a full-blown panic attack. That was actually cool, cuz it eventuated in my healing. Oh ya, ...I also learned that a 100-point scale was more helpful to me. So "1 or 2" became 10-20...and I learned how to get it from 20 down to 0.
WARNING TO OTHERS: Don't try this if you get ANY arousal/fear from any of the levels....I don't want anyone to try this unless in the company of a therapist if you are the least bit scared with any of those pictures (meaning, over an SUD level of 2).
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Thanks Sage, It kind of makes sense. I think a therapist would really help, hopefully it won't be long as I feel like I'm getting worse.
